Galvis returns from forgettable 2012

By DENNIS DEITCH, ddeitch@delcotimes.com, CLEARWATER, Fla. — If suffering a broken back isn’t the worst thing that happened to you in any give

Sunday, February 17, 2013

When Freddy Galvis went on the disabled list last June with a pars fracture in his lower back, it was an injury that would essentially scrap the remainder of his rookie season with the Phillies. Bummer.

Then, two days later the Phillies got more news from Major League Baseball: Galvis received a 50-game suspension for testing positive for trace amounts of Clostebol, which is described as a weak anabolic steroid. Galvis said in a statement at the time he didn’t know how the substance got in his system. In South America, Clostebol is common in dermatological and vaginal medications. Galvis is from Venezuela.

Regardless of how it happened, Galvis paid a heavy price -- approximately $150,000 of his $480,000 salary.

Galvis is 23, and Charlie Manuel has compared Galvis’ potential to that of Omar Vizquel, whom Manuel managed in Cleveland and legendary Venezuelan shortstop. Vizquel was 45 last season -- more than twice Galvis’ age -- still playing in the majors for the Blue Jays.

Galvis would love to have a career as long and lauded as Vizquel. To do so would mean a lifetime’s worth of clean drug tests. If he fails another, that will cost him 100 games.

To avoid that taint, he must be aware of everything he takes in, everyone he touches, everything he does.

“I’m really paranoid,” Galvis said. “I have to take every medicine I take from the United States and take it home (to Venezuela) -- everything, even just for headaches. I don’t take any supplements right now. I have to watch what I take for the rest of my life. That’s the way it has to be from now until I retire. And that’s OK with me. I am just happy to be here and play baseball.”

The Phillies, meanwhile, have shown faith in Galvis. They believe him when he says the steroid wasn’t knowingly taken, a message Galvis says general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. delivered face-to-face when he was notified of the suspension.

“I don’t think you’re going to see that happen again,” Manuel said of Galvis’ suspension. ‘I think I know (Galvis and Carlos Ruiz), and I think you’re going to see them abide by the rules. They are going to show you how good of players they are, and they are going to show they can do it right.

“We definitely want to get the message across that we need our best players on our team. We can’t be losing players who are going to help us.”

Manuel has not knocked him down the depth chart, nor has the organization made any moves that speak differently than its public declarations: That Galvis will be their utility infielder and make 50 or more starts this season at second, shortstop and third.

“I think they have shown a lot of faith in me,” Galvis said. “They told me not to worry about it, that they have a lot of faith in me. I’m happy for that. The organization has given me support 100 percent since I was 16 years old, and I feel grateful for that.

“I just turned the page. It’s a new year, 2013. I don’t worry about it.”

Galvis does have other things to worry about. If he does back up Michael Young at third, he will be playing that position for the first time. He started taking reps at the position last fall. However, the smooth fielder had played little at second base before he was thrust into the starting role there by Chase Utley’s knee problems last season. His performance there was nearly flawless -- one error in 45 starts.

“I think the reflexes are the biggest difference at third base,” Galvis said. “The ball gets quickly to you. Just be ready for the pitch.”

As for the comparisons to Vizquel, Galvis knows that he has a way to go. He hit .226 in 190 at-bats last season, and his .254 on-base percentage was the ninth-worst in the majors for any player with 200 or more plate appearances. On the bright side, Vizquel batted .220 with a .273 OBP when he was a rookie, yet developed into a hitter who batted .272 for his career.

“I have to say, that feels good to know someone says something like that about me,” Galvis said of the Vizquel comparisons. “I don’t like to keep it in my mind, because I have to keep working ... If you start believing it, you think you’re a star when you aren’t.

“I was born with the ability to field. When I was a kid I didn’t worry about hitting as much. I just loved to catch it. But if you want to be in the big leagues, you have to learn how to hit. So I pay more attention to going in the (batting) cage, listen to guys like Chase Utley, Michael Young and Jimmy Rollins.

“Maybe that’s how Omar Vizquel learned how to do it.”

Galvis also needs to stay on top of the issue that knocked him out of the lineup in the first place last season -- his back. The fracture required weeks in a brace and has him on a maintenance plan he must follow for the rest of his career.

“I have to do exercises every day, get some massages. I need to keep it strong,” he said. “I have to go to the weight room and the training room. The doctors say it’s 100 percent healed, but I have to do the exercises to keep it strong.”

A strong back and clean urine samples should guarantee a better year for Freddy Galvis.